Adjunct professor of nursing at University of Canberra Linda Reaby was guest speaker at CanAssist luncheon at the Stan Axtill Centre.

Professor Reaby is a breast cancer survivor and has been awarded the medal of the Order of Australia for her work in research and advocacy for women with the disease. She was also named Australian Achiever of the Year and Woman of the Year in 1996.

“I am trying to give a message of hope and trying to make women more pro-active rather than re-active,” she said.

Professor Reaby is convenor and chair of the Australians New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, has numerous scientific publications and has secured a number of research grants.

“Science has shown that women who participate in clinical trials do better and are more satisfied with their care,” she said.

“Women in the 21st century are treated in a far more scientific manner … due to clinical trials. Before clinical trials women used to be treated far more barbarically and as the result of clinical trials 85 per cent of women are surviving breast cancer.

“In 30 years we have come so far, there is far more breast conservation.

“If every woman gave a dollar a year to the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, we could find a cure by 2020.”

Professor Reaby said mammograms are essential in diagnosing breast cancer as they can pick up tumours of three to five years of age, compared with the detection of tumours of five to 10 years of age in a physical examination.

She said people with a family history of breast cancer should begin having mammograms 10 years earlier than the age at which their relation was diagnosed.

Professor Reaby is also an advocate for women continuing to have breast screenings into old age, while they have quality of life, rather than stopping at the recommended age of 69.

“All women are at risk, just for being women, and this only came to light a couple of years ago,” she said.

“One in 11 women will develop breast cancer by the age of 75 and one in eight will develop it from 75 years and on, so it is very important women are pro-active and have self breast examinations, mammograms and physical examinations.”

She said women with a known genetic pre-disposition should consider regular MRIs, which she believes the government should subsidise, as well as mammograms.